Friday, March 18, 2016

Artist # 1When we first arrived in Blantyre and attended church at the Zingwangwa branch, we got to know the Banda family. Sister Banda was the Relief Society president. Brother Banda, the Elders' Quorum president at the time, was the first member to take us around, to introduce us and show us where some other members live. He is now President Banda of the Zingwangwa branch.

Taken when we first arrived, this photo was right in front of their home. The children, Comfort, Conscious, and Cornie are all a little taller now.

President Banda, taken last week at an activity. He loves his Kenya shirt, but he is a Malawian true and true.

Joseph Banda is also an artist true and true. He plays the guitar, sings and leads the music at church, paints, and carves wood into nativity sets and other Malawian figures.

He attaches the canvases to the living room wall and works on his paintings over a period of several days.The top painting is the beginning of an "iron rod" scene. You can see the river, the "tree of Life" and a large and spacious building, not yet filled with people.

This is the detail of a village scene. At least these missionaries have heads (but not yet faces). Sometimes we have seen them headless, which is always a little distressing to me.

His hand can serve as a palette.

And I thought we were the only ones who worked in white shirts!

Sometimes, when we have stopped by with visiting senior missionaries, friends or family, he will bring out his most recent work.

The cement floor is new this year. During our first months here, the floor was dirt. Now sometimes, he takes out chalk and draws a map to direct us to a location. Very convenient!

Artist #2

A few months ago, Elder Mphofu baptized a new member into the church in the Zingwangwa branch. When his name was read in, I noticed right away that is was MATTISE - not a name I had heard before in Malawi. Mattise is deaf and Elder Mphofu (from Kenya) knew how to sign. Now several members in the branch are learning to sign, not only to communicate with Matisse, but also with other new deaf members.

What I did not know at the time was that Matisse is also an artist - painting in acrylics. He also paints pottery.

As you can see, it didn't take us long to become patrons.

Do you see the little old man and woman in the right foreground...white shirt, pink blouse and nametags?

We are standing in front of his studio where next to the street, there is a sign that reads "Talented Deaf Arts". He was puzzled why we did not want to take it already mounted on the wood frame, so I had to explain- in writing - that we were weeks away from going home, and rolling it up would allow us to take in on the plane.

Transfer days - they are exciting, filled with anxiety, and sometimes painful. There are tears and big smiles. Last week was a big one for the Blantyre district.

On Tuesday we drove out to pick up Sister Frimpong, bringing with us Sisters Motsi and Kinikini.

Sister Frimpong completed her mission and was heading home to London, via Lusaka where she would have a final meeting with President and Sister Erickson.

Since Sister Kinikini was being transferred to Lilongwe, we got to keep Sister Motsi and Sister Kgwetiane. Of course, they are wondering about their new companions, who will arrive later that night.

With Sisters Kinikini and Frimpong at the AXA bus station where we have said good-bye so many times.

At the station we were met by Elder Jena, who is also completing his mission and heading back to South Africa (via Lusaka) and Elder Chawaguta who was being transferred to Zambia.It was time to start loading but there was one problem. Where were the zone leaders who were bringing the other two transferring elders?

Ah, at last, here they are! Elder Brewerton and Elder Kobyana brought with them Elder Hollingsworth and his soon-to-depart companion, Elder Mpofu - in the nick of time.

Oh, we will miss Elder Mpofu with his positive spirit, big smile, and graciousness. He is heading to Lilongwe to be a zone leader.

The bags are all loaded, they have their seat assignments, and off they go...

We knew the new missionaries would be arriving that night from Lilongwe and even joked that they should wave as they passed the bus driving in the opposite direction!After dropping the missionaries off, we decided to go make some visits and in the late afternnon, we went to see the Tsegula family.

Many fields of maize are filled with withering stalks because of the drought, but the Tsegula fields look great by comparison. Brother James Tsegula showed us how tall it is, along with a grandson and son-in-law George.

Another George stands to compare.

Sister Tsegula wanted us to see another field, so she took us down across the creek to other healthy-looking fields and this time we were the photo subject.

It was getting to be dusk and as we headed back, we ran into the elders, the very ones we were with at the bus station.

Elder Brewerton had Elder Hollingsworth as his companion for the afternoon, while they were waiting for Elder Hollingsworth's new companion to arrive that evening.

There are always people to teach at the Tsegula compound.In the evening, George and I went back to AXA to pick up the incoming new sisters. The three new elders also arrived, along with Elder Banda the next day.I could see that there were going to be some new names to learn, but it wasn't till the following Tuesday at the zone meeting that we really got to visit with the new Blantyre group.Following the meeting, we all ate scones and got to know one another.

Meet Sister Bingham, another Idahoan.

Sister Bingham and I were excited to meet each other at the bus three evenings earlier since I had communicated with her parents soon after she received her mission call. Her sister lives in the same ward as our son Seth and daughter-in-law Kara in northern California (sometimes it's a small LDS world). She arrived in the Zambia Lusaka mission last June and finally got to the "garden of Eden", Blantyre.

She is the new sister trainer and companion to Sister Kgwetiane, who we get to keep a while longer!

Sister Newey (from Ogden, Utah) is the new companion to Sister Motsi. Perfect name - she had just left the Joburg Missionary Training Center and was a brand-Newey missionary.

Elder Brewerton welcoming Elder Mabe (from Botswana).

He is the new companion to Elder Hollingsworth.

Elder Lewis (from California) is right out of the MTC. His first companion and trainer is Elder Chiliza who is serving his last month before going home. We will sure miss him!

Elder Maele, on the right, has a new companion from Zimbabwe, Elder Zhuwankinyu. That name took a little practice, but he says I have it down!

Elder Majekodunmi (another name that required practice!) is not showing us his new companion because he does not come for another day.

When he does arrive the next day, we welcome Elder Banda, who is Malawian! (from Lilongwe). He is only with us for one month while he awaits his visa, since his calling is to Ghana where he will first attend the MTC.

There were only two companionships that didn't make a change.

Elder Tshabalala and Elder Alexander remain together, though Elder Alexander is shrinking. He has lost 50 pounds since he first arrived!

Our zone leaders, Elders Brewerton and Kobyana, are just the best - performing service to the other missionaries, planning meetings, and meeting with George regarding finances, in addition to being great missionaries!

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

You could tell that people were excited. The posters had been up all month, announcing that on Saturday there would be a YSA talent show activity. The missionaries told us that the members were going to bring their non-member friends so it was a great missionary activity.

The committee tried to be organized. Each branch representative gathered the names of all the people that would be performing and Jonathan Banda, the chairman, and I tried to organize it into a printed program, varying the types of acts. After all, we didn't want it to get away from us and it had the potential.....

As usual, we set up the room beforehand.

With almost every YSA activity, we offer bread, butter, and peanut butter because many of the kids are coming to the Blantyre building from institute (or seminary) in the Zingwangwa or Ndirande buildings and it is such a long way with no lunch.

Believe me, the food goes fast and I become the food Nazi, continually admonishing "two pieces only" and "remember that others have to eat too!"

We use the same cups for every activity but getting them back is not always easy.

Louis Likuka and Assante Themuka were in charge of the technical side of the program. That's Jonathan Banda, YSA district leader and MC for the activity, in the back. He manages to get in a lot of photos!

Fiskani Ngulube is trying to get a handle on the program. His name is on the agenda in a couple of places.

The chairs are slowly filling up after everyone has a bit to eat. Nancy Masoo and Natasha Tembo are both prospective missionaries. Natasha's completed application went in this week.

Some people are anxious to get the show rolling!First up!

We know our district president is a talented fellow, but he had a talent I wasn't aware of!

Such a deep voice! Was he really singing? Nope, but he sure was believable as Don Williams singing "You Are My Best Friend"!

And then he got the group clapping..

and finished by reading a statement giving several reasons why we should all write to the missionaries!

Not all talents are performances. Jonathan called up Nancy to show everyone her woven scripture bags and purses. This is how she is earning money for her mission. When I went to Zambia three weeks ago, I brought back 17 orders so she has been very busy!

Nezala Khoriyo, soon to be Elder Khoriyo. As one of the talents, Frank Manchichi put together a video of Nezala opening his mission call with friends and family surrounding him. We all got to see it - the music, the predictions of where he would go, the suspense, and the finale. He will be going to Uganda!

The Tchongwe sisters - Wongani, Lilian,and Faith

Jonathan, the MC, manages to slide into another act.

So they are not exactly YSAs, but they were there to perform and slipped in under the radar.

Christopher Sitolo and Lyford Ngwira (the two counselors in the 2nd branch presidency). Lyford is not exactly a YSA either, but rather a "YMA" but he comes to make sure the sound system is functioning.

Goffrey Dzowa recited the entire Introduction to the Book of Mormon!...

which brought big smiles to Elder Majekodumni and Elder Stark.

Frank Mantchichi frequently has a camera in hand. He is the Social Media director for Malawi Public Affairs.

Yes, I am smiling - and that's in spite of sitting next to the speakers!

Christopher sang without any accompaniment - no need to lip sync there!

And Regina, a favorite, also used her own voice.

A few more songs and a few more dances

Three hours later and it's time to wrap it up. Brownies and of course, the clean-up followed. What a way to spend the afternoon! I'm sure many are already thinking of what they can do next year!